Biz

There's one moment that can completely transform your career trajectory, the job interview. Yet most of us approach it with outdated advice, generic answers, and crossed fingers. We rock up thinking we can wing it, hoping they won't ask about our biggest weakness and secretly panicking about whether we've done enough research. Meanwhile, there's always that one candidate who seems to have it all figured out, asking thoughtful questions and making genuine connections. What's their secret?

The truth is, interviewing is a skill that can be mastered. And when you get it right, it opens doors you never thought possible.

This week on BIZ, we're breaking down how to turn interview anxiety into interview advantage. Whether you're re-entering the workforce, changing careers, or climbing the ladder, this is your roadmap to interview success.

Here's what we're covering:

• The strategic research that sets you apart before you even walk through the door

• Four powerful questions that demonstrate you're serious about the role

• The simple preparation technique that calms your nerves and keeps you focused

• How to transform rejection into your next opportunity

Let's be honest...waiting until you feel "ready" to make a career move is like waiting for the perfect weather to start exercising. It's never going to happen, and meanwhile, everyone else is getting ahead. This week, we're diving deep into why learning isn't just nice-to-have anymore - it's career insurance. Our guest Andrea Clark has spent her career helping people adapt fast, and she doesn't believe in waiting until you're ready to grow.

From recognizing when that "mutual value exchange" with your employer has run its course, to spotting signals of change before they become obvious to everyone else. We explore why Andrea invested $3,000 in an AI course back in 2017 (spoiler: it paid off massively) and tackle the biggest blocker to career growth - thinking you need to feel 100% confident before taking action.

What you'll learn:

• The "mutual value exchange" test to know when it's time to move on

• How to spot signals of change 5 years before your industry

• Micro-learning strategies for busy people who think they don't have time

• Why courage brings clarity and how to turn experiments into evidence

• How to align your learning goals with where your business is heading in 2030

Resources:

Do you feel guilty for taking breaks? Put work ahead of your relationships? Ignore your health in the name of productivity? You might be stuck in workaholic mode without even realising it! 

Meet your new BIZ hosts: Lisa Lie (former Head of People & Culture who worked herself into burnout twice in one year) and Em Vernem (Associate Editor at Mamamia who discovered that giving 80% at work prevents the burnout that comes from constantly operating at 100%). They've been trapped in the cycle, escaped it, and now they're exposing the workaholic trap that's keeping high-achievers burning out—even when they love what they do.

You'll learn: 

• The signs you're already caught in the cycle
• Where workaholic tendencies actually come from (hint: it's not what you think)
• How the workaholic trap sabotages your daily life without you noticing
• Why that promotion might be making everything worse

PLUS we take the University of Bergen’s 7-point Workaholism Test (finally, a way to tell the difference between working hard and working too hard), and chat the exact steps Lisa took to escape the workaholic cycle for good!

Resources That Actually Work:

Going from mate to manager can get weird, fast. One day you're in the group chat laughing with your colleagues, the next day they might be laughing at you behind your back. This week, we're tackling one of the trickiest workplace transitions: becoming the boss of your former teammates. We dig into why this shift feels so bloody awkward (spoiler: it's not just you), how to navigate the immediate identity crisis when suddenly nobody wants to gossip with you anymore, and the art of setting expectations without turning into a micromanager overnight.

Plus, we reveal the coaching trick that gets people to solve their own problems, why letting your team do "B plus work" is actually good leadership, and when to recognise that management might not be for you - and that's completely okay.

What you'll learn:

• The Reset Conversation: How to acknowledge the shift without making it weird
• The B Plus Work Philosophy: Why perfectionist managers fail their teams
• The Question Technique: The coaching trick that creates ownership instead of dependency
• The Identity Shift Reality: Why your value isn't in doing the job anymore, it's in helping others do it well

Ever suggest something new at work only to hear "that's just how we do things here" and watch the energy completely deflate? Yeah, we've all been there. This week, we're chatting with Wade Kingsley about breaking free from status quo thinking and actually getting your ideas heard without being shut down or laughed at (been there too).

Wade breaks down why most workplaces are set up to reward playing it safe, how to identify whether you're a Dreamer, Doer, or Doubter on your team, and the genius strategy of testing ideas in kitchen conversations before you pitch them to the boss. Plus, we dive into why creativity isn't about having the most artistic job - it's about getting curious and asking "but what if we tried this instead?" when everyone else just accepts the way things are.

What you'll learn:

• The Three Creative Types and why your team needs all of them (spoiler: it's not just about the big idea people)
• Why you should never pitch your brilliant idea to the boss first - and who to talk to instead
• The 'Five Whys' technique for getting to the real problem (not just what's on the surface)
• How to frame risky ideas as "experiments" so people actually want to try them
• The art of separating brainstorming from reality-checking so ideas don't get killed instantly
• How to build creative confidence even when you've been shot down before